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Olmert's attorney: Talansky deposition refutes bribery claims
Aviram Zino
Published: 27.05.08, 22:57
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24 Talkbacks for this article
1. Shear preponderance of evidence indicts Olmert!
Yonatan ,   Israel   (05.27.08)
We had better be careful because the last time police were close to charging Olmert he incited a war. The man knows accepting any cash is totally illegal as well as free vacations and hotel rooms. This is not an innocent mistake but a series of calculated abuses. What was received in return is not being made public but we can rest assured that men in Olmerts position don’t receive money without remaining at the beck and call of the donors. This is impropriety on a giant scale and all totally illegal.
2. Olmert's attorney: Staying at a hotel suite is not a crime
Pete ,   Bat Yam   (05.27.08)
When the American president travels on Air Force One, which has a staff of 200 people, it seems only natural and reasonable. But when the mayor of Jerusalem – God forbid – stays overnight at a suite or flies first class – this is inexcusable," the attorney said. Right the stay in itself is not a crime, what Olmerts problem is seems to be that his first class tickets and hotel rooms were not paid by the Israeli government but from private funds. When a US President stays at a hotel or flies it is at the cost of the US Government! Remember when Slick Willy Clinton was selling a nights stay in the Lincoln bedroom at the White House? Maybe Olmert should have sold nights stays at the house on Crimeau St. if he needed extra cash for cigars and pens
3. With Olmert's Defense Lawyer Yigal Amir can be free tomorrow
Miriam ,   Israel   (05.27.08)
4. Olmert has been revealed as a fraud and a con man !
redmiike ,   Tel Aviv, London, LA   (05.27.08)
The court case may take months and there are several more issues involved than bribery all of which he will be indicted on. What is important now is a vote of no confidence in the Knesset. Olmert has seriously shamed the country and must be brought down. Please note every MK that votes against the vote of no confidence and never vote for them again. Anyone that still supports him should never be placed in a position of power. Mike
5. OLMERT STOP THIS FARCE AND GO TO JAIL ! NOW !!!!
(05.27.08)
6. How dare you call that thief a crook?
Gideon Reader   (05.28.08)
Alleged PM Olmert's advocate seems to be offering an odd defense. That of: yes we know Olmert is a greedy and sleazoid scumbag of the lowest moral and corrupt habits, who would steal soup if he but had a donated suit with rubber pockets, BUT under the clearly codified constraints of the written law, he is not guilty of the narrowly defined statutes, therefore he should be allowed to continue to commit political malpractice against the State of Israel, with no impediment to his blatantly dangerous and failed so called leadership. Well I am certainly glad Attorney Belcher is not giving the keynote introduction at a testimonial dinner for me.
7. olmert's attorney talansky deposition refutes bribery claims
Jim ,   Jerusalem Israel   (05.28.08)
olmert's attorney might be right about habits that public frowns upon, but are not illegal, but receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 15-year period without declaring it amounts to TAX evasion, do you want to tell the people of Israel that this too is not illegal,
8. Hotels and Airfares should be payed by the government
Jay3 ,   Israel   (05.28.08)
Why would a private individual pay for these services when Olmert would be getting them for free from the government. Typical Olmert spin trying to crawl his way out. We are not that stupid Olmert....your time is over you liar!
9. TAXES! That's what they finally caught Al Capone on.
Mark ,   NY   (05.28.08)
Did Olmert report the income and pay taxes? I'm betting that he didn't (or else why insist on cash?).
10. Highly Unethical
rh ,   Modiin Israel   (05.28.08)
I recently completed an Ethics course as part of my financial studies. All of this would fall under the category Highly unethical and demand dismissal from the financial qualificationy. I did not need to think to hard to pass the course ethics comes naturally to most of us, but not all. If Kadima, Labor, Pensioners, Shas does not leave govt over this I will hold them complicit.
11. BORN TO BE ASHAMED
Eliane ,   Brazil   (05.28.08)
I am an israeli born brazilian. Here in Brazil the politicians have a culture of bribes. In Israel we have Olmert. What a shame to me for both countries.
12. #7
Doron   (05.28.08)
good point!!! if he did not declare the income, its tax evasion, and therefore is not only disgusting behavior but also illegal. it seems like ehud olmert is the kind of guy who would sell his soul to the devil and then turn around to you and say "so, is it illegal to sell your soul to the devil?". no it isn't, but is that the point?
13. Cross exam
spz ,   israel   (05.28.08)
Based on Olmert's lawyers comments, I see no need to waste time and enrgy on cross examining Mr Talansky. He's already "cleared" Olmert of accepting any bribes. Olmert is as clean as a whistle, no?
14. slight english correction
Danny   (05.28.08)
Olmert's lawyer hasn't "refuted" anything. He has claimed alot of stuff but that is DENYING Talansky's claims - in fact he doesn't even appear to saying that, rather that yes it may not be something to be proud of but by [his] strict interpretation of the law not illegal. Oh and Mr Belcher when Israel's GDP is 13 trillion USD and we are the most powerful and influential nation in the world, I am sure Israelis will not begrudge Olmert a jet with 200 staff. Until then either he can explain how he managed to pay for all this with a mayor's salary or what exactly the businessman Talansky is buying with his largess.
15. Just one more Jew who got shafted by The Traitor
Dr. Dave ,   NYC   (05.28.08)
Olmert is an amazing scam artist. He reminds me of the slew of Israelis who flocked to the U.S. in the 70s & 80s riding on waves of our Zionist delusions and desire to help our fellow Jews. We responded favorably to their sometimes sorrowful requests for help but were repeatedly scammed out of cash and shafted in shady business deals. One such Israeli even got me to pay his hotel bill once. It was only $60 but he lied & lied about paying it back. Olmert is no different than that slime ball. He just has better taste in hotels and cigars. Anyone recall the acronym D.I.B. ? Olmert fits that to a "T".
16. as usual, the DOUBLE STANDARD
ecr   (05.28.08)
always making the rules as they go along.
17. why not quote some other attorney
alan ,   alaska   (05.28.08)
Not quoting a state prosecutor or independent attorney indicates a high degree of bias in this story. Would you ask the lawyer of a mass murderer if his client was guilty without asking anyone else?
18. follow the money
alan ,   alaska   (05.28.08)
When the press starts to follow the money from the envelopes to the people who recieved them, then things will get interesting. Did this money pay for Sharon or Barak? When was it paid? What happened after it was paid? Who benefited from the payments? Yes the heart of the matter has not yet been discussed in this paper so far.... has it now?
19. Handing ovr envelopes of money isn't bribery? What is?
Adam Eliyahu Berkowi   (05.28.08)
I realize that we have no constitution and the courts are self-appointed with secret protocols, but could a left wing person who voted Kadima please explain to me why this isn't bribery?
20. And Clinton didn't have "sex" with Lewinsky
Adam Eliyahu Berkowi   (05.28.08)
21. That's the norm, no?
(05.28.08)
You collect money for a candidate and then hand it over in an unmarked envelope in a hotel room. Isn't that the standard? Checks are such a hassle. Who has time to write out a check and make a publicly accounted for traceable donation?
22. He was the fool and Olmert took advantage. No harm done.
Asher ,   Ny, USA   (05.28.08)
This is Israelis responsibility to eveluate their standards of electing an official specially a PM and more important if they want someone like Olmert in the office to act like a jerk. This kind of officials who sell nothing for something can sell everything for so much more EVEN selling Jerusalem or the whole country if the other side has confident in them that they are in Position and capable of it. Olmert Must be fired and that's my personal verdict.
23. olmerts attorney...
Jim ,   Jerusalem Israel   (05.28.08)
Doron # 7 anyone who wants to sell his soul so be it, but that is not the point, the point is nobody has the right to sell the soul of the nation
24. OLMERT
david ,   tel aviv   (05.28.08)
Can someone please explain why did Talansky not speak for 13 years???. What happened suddenly?.
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